Yucca Valley,Ca.- Town Mayor, Single Mom, Field representative for Assemblyman Paul Cook , past Planning Commissioner….yes, that’s a lot on her plate. Currently involved with Cook’s bid for Congress, Rowe is also involved in promoting the YV 1% Town Tax, Measure U, for reasons that most citizens do not know about.
Part One
Under the leadership of Mayor Dawn Rowe, the Yucca Town Council has obligated more money than they have budgeted in their general fund including obligations for $3.1 million dollars for the senior housing project. Originally touted as a fiscally conservative candidate for office of Town Council, Rowe cheerfully ran alongside with Town Manager Mark Nuaimi’s compulsive spending plan using funds that were not in the balanced budget projections.
Unable to rein in Nuaimi, Mayor Rowe set this runaway “Red Ink Train” on its path with the town manager promising the moon to sway the council to approve his projects. Once stating he would spread the costs of the proposed General Plan update, not to exceed$1 million in cost, over three years, he then broke his promise to Councilmen Mayes and Luckino to wait until the budget was reviewed. Nuaimi charged ahead without heeding the advice of the town council bringing in the contract at an additional $20,000 over the $1 million to a firm from Orange County. Nuaimi, apparently forgetting he works for the YV Council had resorted back to his old habits as Mayor of Fontana and Assistant City Manager of Colton where he called all the shots.
Heading towards the cliff on her “Red Ink Train,” Mayor Rowe is in a panic to pass Measure “U,” the Yucca Valley 1% sales tax increase, to cover the overextended spending plan under her term as Mayor. Like most low-income citizens on a fixed income, the number one rule is, “Never spend more than you have coming in.” Apparently this rule does not apply to her as Mayor and she flip-flopped on her no new taxes statement (not a pledge, mind you) when she ran for office. With the resignations of Chad Mayes and Frank Luckino, Rowe quickly rotated into the seat of Mayor without any experience. Totally in awe of Nuaimi, Rowe has agreed with the irresponsible spending of limited funds of the Town of Yucca Valley.
Most Mayors deliver the “State of the Town” to the citizens of Yucca Valley with a power point slide presentation of their accomplishments while holding the office. Last year, Nuaimi concocted the entire presentation for Mayor Huntington providing the Council with matching polo shirts, similar to those the Staff members were wearing and giving them speaking parts to read at their given cue during the slide show. All were noticeably stiff and uneasy speaking someone else’s wording and Lombardo even read the wrong part. Also, the room was darkened and they had difficulty reading their assigned script.
So look for Rowe’s Legacy to cite the following:
Project #1, Ground breaking ceremony for the new dog park with accolade’s and her photo flashing on the big screen wearing a hard hat. Of course no mention of the $250,000 shortfall of funds to complete this project because the Department of Finance has rejected the town claim this is a Redevelopment project. The hook? Nuaimi convinced this Council to accept an IOU from themselves from future impact fees collected to cover this overdraft.
Project #2, Ground breaking ceremony for the $3.1 million dollar animal shelter which the town is borrowing 1/2 from the County of San Bernardino because there are no funds to contribute the towns’ 50% obligation as a partner to build and operate this shelter. Nuaimi snatched the authority away from the Town Council/JPA to work on the contracts naming him as the lead for this project. A Rancho Cucamonga architect firm was selected using metal structures to save money. Not familiar with the desert, they planned for large trees to provide shade which happened to be in the septic leach field which is a no-no. Now it is anticipated there may not be any money to build shade structures. The Nuaimi hook? No payments for 5 years!
Part Two – coming up
- Brehm Sports Park fiasco that could have come down on her watch.
-The (wink-wink) partnership with Brehm Communications (read-Cindy Melland) and the golf course project.
-Billing the State of California Department of Finance for $500,000 to pay for the General Plan update, which was denied.
-Similar to ex-Mayor Kelly Chastain of Colton, Rowe’s political career may face the same dead-end due to Nuaimi’s unbridled penchant for uncontrolled overspending.
Measure “U” is Useless! Don’t be fooled by the Town’s 1% Tax on the November ballot!
Measure U is a general fund tax, requiring only 50% + 1 vote to pass, to cover the high roller and over committed expenses to date and goes directly into the coffers of the town.
Vote No on Measure “U” because it will not pay for the sewers which has been ignored by the town.
Vote No on Measure “U” because it is designed to pay for the Town Council’s spending in the red.
Vote No on Measure “U” because the Regional Board will not accept this as guaranteed funding for sewers because it is a General Fund Tax.
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Yucca Valley Mayor Dawn Rowe's Legacy of Debt?,
For the record, Mayor Rowe did not “Flip-flop” on taxes.
As the author of this article is well aware, Rowe along with the rest of the council merely “approved” that the sales tax measure be placed on the November ballot.
If the sales tax increase passes, it is the will of the voters that passed it — not Rowe, not the town council.
Truth in commentary would be refreshing for a change….
Some would beg to differ with your interpretation.
If one runs as a candidate for the council and has in their platform the pledge of no new taxes then later “approves” that a sales tax measure be placed on the ballot for the voters to decide then one did perform a “flip flop”.
As a council member it is the members duty to vote “no” and keep with your pledge not to vote “yes” and then pass the buck of responsibility onto the “public”.